Google is experimenting with how your phone can interact with the desktop web, in an effort to unleash its power as your future key to enter Gmail, killing off the written password in the process.
‘Sesame’ (as in ‘open sesame’) is the codename for the mysterious project that’s now underway at Google HQ. Stage one involved clever use of a QR code. The actual URL wasn’t officially dished out by Google, but by going to the page you could obtain a QR code, scan it with your phone and then gain entry to your Google services.
All well and good, except nobody really likes QR codes. Google knows this, and has commented that it’s “already working on something better.” What this turns out to be is anyone’s guess, but it’ll definitely involve phones.
Heading to the Sesame page now reveals the message: “While we have concluded this particular experiment, we constantly experiment with new and more secure authentication mechanisms.”
How Android’s lock screen shows the need to remove passwords
However it‘s implemented in the end is kind of irrelevant at this stage, though; the key point is that Google is looking into ways to remove the process of typing in a password by using the magic box in your pocket. Face Unlock on Android Ice Cream Sandwich is one example of this pioneering effort, but it’ll no doubt go a lot further than that.
If Google can work its magic, we may be looking at a future where you never have to remember a single password ever again, you’ll simply wave your phone at your computer to unlock it.
